Why aren't muffler mods stock?

[hokiebob1]

Here's a simple question and I'm sure there's a simple answer. Why wouldn't one of the saw manufacturers start making saws with enlarged muffler ports and richer mixtures--wouldn't that be a huge marketing advantage....for example, why buy a Stihl 50cc when the Husky 50cc has 20% more hp and cuts XX amount quicker! I can understand that in Ca. they have the emissions issue, but the rest of the 49, I don't get it. I don't think its noise, cost, emissions or fuel economy, but I'm not sure. Is it because the muffler/richness reduces the longevity of the saw?

All I know is that after I modded the muffler and replaced the shield to keep the plastic from melting, I had invested a total of an hours worth of work and the saw cuts MUCH better-seems like an easy thing for the OEM's to do.

 

[sedanman]

The rest of the states suffer under the E.P.A. just as California does. Emissions is the answer.

 

[stihltech]

noise

There are also noise regulations so people do not go deaf from running a saw.
A converstion I used to have with a 70 year old operator....
Otto, does running a saw bother youre hearing?

Huh?

OTTO, DOES RUNNING A SAW ALL THESE YEARS BOTHER YOUR HEARING?

HUH?

Really yelling now-OTTO, DOES ALL THESE YEARS OF SAWING BOTHER YOUR HEARING!!!

NO, NOT AT ALL!

Of course, he never wore a helmet or hearing protection.

 

[glens]

Vibration is another area of which is being addressed more and more because of damage to the operator.  Both OSHA and EPA have their hands in the cookie jar.

If you've got a few hours, you could read through this <a href="http://www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/equip-ld/hhsfrm/fr24267.txt">Federal Register Notice</a>.&nbsp; Also, or at least, flip through <a href="http://216.239.37.104/search?q=cache:zwtKIHy18L4J:www.epa.gov/otaq/regs/nonroad/equip-ld/hhsfrm/r00005.wpd+site:epa.gov+chainsaw+stihl+husqvarna+&hl=en&lr=lang_en&ie=UTF-8">this</a> document; especially look for and note the terms I've highlighted.

Everything you want is probably available at the EPA's web site, specifically the <a href="http://www.epa.gov/otaq/equip-ld.htm">Small Gasoline engine</a> index page.

I don't know off-hand where the teeth are, but I believe it's against the (federal, which is arguably only pertinent in national parks, US possessions/territories, the District of Columbia, etc.) law to modify any engine to cause it to produce more badness than was allowed at the time it was made.

Glen

 

[Gypo Logger]

The restrictions mentioned also hurt the saw dealer. Operators are no longer fiddling with fully adjusted carbs, hence saws aren't suffering from as many lean seizures.
This all means there isn't as many basket cases floating around for us scroungers to fix.
John

 

[hokiebob1]

Good links, Glens. I should have known the EPA was the driving force-I doubt it's noise, only because operating a stock saw for any period makes my ears hurt. Regardless, its nice to know that a simple mod like this can make the saw much happier with really no expense.

 

[sedanman]

Actually John, I think you'll be seeing MORE siezed saws. They are set to run so lean aleadt that it won't take much to torch one. Plugged air filter, a little too light on the oil or a tiny air leak and bye bye.

 

[glens]

I was trying to find a little more about "compression wave technology" and ran across this bit from <a href="http://pacer.cadc.uscourts.gov/common/opinions/200106/00-1270a.txt">here</a>:<blockquote>On December 2, 1998 John Deere Consumer Products, Inc.
(Deere), which appeared as an intervenor before this court,
recommended that the EPA consider stricter Phase 2 stan-
dards in light of its recent development of "compression wave
technology" (CWT), which promised to significantly reduce
emissions from handheld engines. CWT uses compressed air
to improve fuel injection in the combustion chamber of a two-
stroke engine, resulting in almost all of the fuel being com-
busted. Deere stated that CWT was adaptable to all sizes of
two-stroke engines and could meet a 72 g/kW-hr HC+NOx
standard in 2001.</blockquote>That makes me want to hurl.&nbsp; "We've got a patent and we want the government to effectively regulate everyone else out of the competition if they don't buy a license from us" is a pretty poor business model.&nbsp; A funny aspect is that they aren't even using their "compression wave technology" yet, are they?

If I felt like buying an Italian chainsaw, I believe I'd go directly to the source and <i>not</i> buy it from JD.

I also found a 142KB PDF document, "Amendments to the Phase 2 Requirements for Spark-Ignition Nonroad Engines at or Below 19 Kilowatts; Direct Final Rule and Proposed Rule" <a href="http://www.setonresourcecenter.com/register/2004/Jan/12/1824A.pdf">here</a>, from Jan 12 this year.&nbsp; It mentions things like manufacturers being able to introduce some really clean models in order to allow them to continue producing the messy ones during the phase, etc.

Glen

 

[Newfie]

"because operating a stock saw for any period makes my ears hurt"


Hearing protection will fix that problem.

 

[lucky]

What?

 

[wiley_p]

They sort of are on the 046/044 you can get the saw with a dual port muffler, such as it is.

 

[hokiebob1]

Thanks for stating the obvious, nefie-now why didn't I think of that! My point was that noise can't be the driving force because the stock noise level is already untolerable w/o hearing protection.